GB2254001A - Button for soft furnishing - Google Patents

Abstract

A button for deep-buttoned soft furnishings is detachably securable to a cushion or the like and, in the preferred embodiment, comprises two complementary parts (11, 12) which can be snap-fitted together when their respective shank portions (14, 17) extend through in-register holes in the cover fabric (105, 106) and filling (102, 103) of a furnishing. Alternatively, the two button halves can be secured detachably together by a flexible element which provides some "give" between the two button parts during use. <IMAGE>

Description

SOFT FURNISHING BUTTON DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a button for a deepbuttoned soft furnishing, such as, a cushion, pillow, mattress, quilt or like article, wherein an outer cover can be removed from an inner "filling" for cleaning or repair purposes.

Known forms of button for deep-buttoned soft furnishings of this type are permanently secured thereto, which means that they have to undergo the same cleaning process as that undergone by the furnishing.

This means that if they are made of a metallic material with some ferrous content, they tend to rust after several normal washings.

If, however, the closures are made of a plastics material, then such material tends to deteriorate after several dry cleaning or normal washing cycles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a button for so-called "deep-buttoned" soft furnishings which overcomes, or at least substantially reduces, the disdvantages associated with known types of buttoning described above.

Accordingly the present invention provides a button for deep-buttoned soft furnishings which is arranged to be detachably secured thereto.

Preferably, the button comprises two complementary parts which are securable detachably together to maintain the required button effect. Complementary male and female parts are used in a preferred embodiment of the inventive button, with their respective shank portions extending through corresponding, in-register holes in the cover fabric and filling of the furnishing. Such holes in both the cover fabric and filling are preferably defined by grommets or eyelets.

Alternatively, the two parts may be secured detachably together by a length of flexible material, such as a plastics material, to provide some "give" between the two parts of the button during use.

The two parts of such a button arrangement may be provided with head portions covered with fabric matching that of the cover.

Also, the button can be made of any suitable material, for instance, a metallic or plastics material, although the choice of the material is not that important, at least insofar as cleaning or repair purposes are concerned, because the button can be removed from the soft furnishing completely to permit removal of the filling therefrom for such purposes.

The inventive button has particular, but not specific, application in the garden and conservatory environments and is especially, but not exclusively, directed to cushions and other soft furnishings for such environments.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, preferred embodiments in accordance therewith will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevation, in partial section, of one form of two-part button for a cushion; Figure 2 is a front elevation of another form of button but in three-part form; and Figure 3 is a side elevation in section of the three-part button of Figure 2, when in use.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, a button for a cushion comprises a complementary pair of male and female parts indicated generally at 11 and 12, respectively.

The male part 11 comprises a domed head 13 and shank 14 with an enlarged end 15.

The female part 12 also comprises. a domed head 16 and a shank 17 which, in this case, has an axial blind bore 18 with a reduced cross-section 19 at its open end.

The enlarged end 15 of the shank 14 of the male part 11 is arranged to snap-fit past the reduced crosssection 19 of the shank bore 18 of the female part, to be received in the larger cross-section 18' thereof.

The male and female parts 7, 12 of the button may be made of any suitable material. If made of a metallic material, then when the two parts are detachably connected together, there is little flexibility, if any, between them. However, if the two parts 11, 12 are made of a plastics material, then some flexibility therebetween can be achieved, when they are detachably connected together.

In use of the button, as shown in Figure 1, a cushion has a suitable filling 102, an inner cover 103, and an outer cover 104 of two fabric layers 105, 106.

The inner cover 103 and two outer fabric layers 105, 106 of the outer cover 104 are provided with respective brass eyelets 107 and 108, 109. On assembly of the button, the shank 14 of the male button part 11 is received through the eyelet 108 in the fabric layer 105 of the outer cover 104 and the shank 17 of the female button part 12 is received in the eyelet 109 in the fabric layer 106 of the cover 104. Then, the two button parts 11, 12 are urged together so that the enlarged end 15 of the shank 14 of the part 11 is snap-fitted through the reduced cross-section 19 of the bore 18 and into the larger cross-section 18' thereof.

Thus, the shanks 14, 17 extend through the intermediate eyelet 107 of the inner cover 103 to secure the outer cover 104 thereto, thereby providing the desired button effect for the cushion as a whole. A plurality of such buttons may be used if required.

If the outer cover 104 and/or inner cover 103 and associated filling 102 needs to be cleaned or repaired, then the button is removed completely from the cushion as a whole by reversing the assembly procedure described above. Thus, the inner cushion can be separated from the outer cover 104.

The first form of button described above with reference to the embodiment of Figure 1 provides little, if any, flexibility between the two parts 11, 12 thereof. However, the second form of button illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings provides such flexibility with a flexible element provided between the two button parts, as will be described in detail hereinafter.

Therefore, and referring to Figures 2 and 3, a second form button in accordance with the invention comprises two substantially identical parts 201 and 202, each comprising a domed head 203, 204 and a shank 205, 206.

Each shank 205, 206 has an axial slot 207, 208 and another slot 209, 210 extending transverselv thereof and having a shoulder 211, 212 defining a restricted entrance/exit thereto.

An intermediate, flexible element indicated generally 220 and made of nylon or any other suitable flexible material, comprises an elongate central body portion 221 and respective cross-members 222, 223 at opposed ends thereof.

In use of the button, which is similar to that described above in relation to the first form of button illustrated in Figure 1, the shanks 205, 206 of the two button halves 201, 202 are received within respective brass eyelets 231, 232 in the two layers of cushion fabric 233, 234. The flexible nylon element 220 extends through another brass eyelet 240 provided in the fabric 241 of the inner cushion 242, with its end cross-members 222, 223 snap-fitted over the respective shoulders 211, 212 into the slots 209, 210.

With this arrangement, flexibility is provided between the two halves 201, 202 of the button during use of the now deep-buttoned cushion, with the central body portion 221 of the element 220 being able to move generally transversely of the axis of each shank 205, 206 of the respective button parts 201, 202.

The button can be disassembled by either severing the central body portion 221 or disconnecting either cross-member 222, 223 from the respect slot 209, 210.

The domed ends 13, 16 and 203, 204 of the parts 11, 12 and 201, 202 of the two forms of button described above in relation to the drawings, may be covered with a fabric matching that of the cushions with which they are used.

Claims (11)

1. A button for deep-buttoned soft furnishings which is arranged to be detachably secured thereto.

2. A button according to claim 1, comprising two complementary parts which are securable detachably together to maintain the required button effect.

3. A button according to claim 1 or 2, comprising complementary male and female parts with respective shank portions arranged to extend through corresponding in-register holes in the cover fabric and filling of a furnishing.

4. A button according to claim 3, wherein the inregister holes are defined by grommets or eyelets.

5. A button according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the two complementary button parts can be snap-fitted together.

6. A button according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the two complementary button parts are secured detachably together by a length of flexible material, to provide some give between the two button parts during use thereof.

7. A button according to claim 6, wherein each complementary button part has a shank including a slot with a restricted entrance/exit thereto and wherein the length of flexible material has a cross-member at each end thereof which can be snap-fitted into the slot in the shank of the respective button part.

8. A button according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the length of flexible material is made of a plastics material, preferably nylon.

9. A button according to any of claims 2 to 8, wherein the head portions of the two button parts are covered with fabric matching that of a soft furnishing cover to which to the button is detachably securable.

10. A button according to any preceding claim made of a metallic or plastics material.

11. A deep-buttoned, soft furnishing button substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.